How is cardiomyopathy treated?

How is cardiomyopathy treated?

Cardiomyopathy treatment focuses on controlling your symptoms. Treatment also slows the disease’s progression. You will have regular checkups to keep an eye on your heart’s health.

Your healthcare provider may recommend:

• Medications: Heart medications can improve your blood flow, control symptoms or treat underlying conditions. You may take blood thinners such as warfarin (Coumadin®), beta blockers such as propranolol (Inderal®) or medications to lower cholesterol.
• Devices to correct arrhythmias: Pacemakers or implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) treat irregular heart rhythms. These devices monitor your heartbeat. They send electrical impulses to your heart when an arrhythmia starts.
• Devices to improve blood flow: Some devices help your heart pump blood more efficiently. Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) devices control the contractions between the left and right sides of the heart. A left ventricular assist device (LVAD) helps your heart pump blood.
• Surgery: If you have severe symptoms or underlying heart conditions, your provider may recommend heart surgery. Providers usually only recommend open-heart surgery or a heart transplant when all other treatments have failed to bring relief.